Whether or not that writing ever sees the light of day is not the issue. The process itself helps set my mind on the heart of God, and the Holy Spirit uses that to conform me more closely to the image of Christ.

I have been having more difficulty writing lately. I think it all started in January when work became extremely busy. It is not that I stopped using my creative energy; it is simply depleted by the end of the day with my other obligations. In one sense, this shows my priorities are correct. After my commitment to God and my family, my responsibility to the Christian university where I work is the most significant. We have goals we are trying to achieve, and we are attempting to do it all for the glory of God. We all have limited capacities, and if something must give between the demands of my work and my writing on the side, my writing will be the first to suffer. However, I have recently noticed something. When my writing begins to wane, so does the quality of my work.

There is something about the process of writing that keeps my mind sharp when thinking through more complex issues at the university. Having time to write daily, even on issues unrelated to college administration, improves my ability to articulate the strengths and challenges we face at the school and better articulate a way forward. When my writing suffers, it does not suffer in isolation. It affects several other areas of my life.

As I have thought about how having less time for writing impacts my life in other areas, I have realized that the most significant may not be my mental acuity. The greatest impact seems to be spiritual. I know this does not apply to all writers. Writing itself is not always a spiritual discipline.

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